PATTAYA -- area code (66-38)

Pattaya: love it or hate it, Thailand's largest developed tourist resort has fans that flock here year-after-year. Over the past two decades the town has cleaned up its act on a number of fronts -- restoring the water quality, landscaping the beaches and adding bike and pedestrian pathways, licensing the roaming vendors, and sponsoring world-class festivities that attract locals and tourists alike. Pattaya is also a favored place for retirees given the vast choice of condominiums and excellent and inexpensive healthcare available. Pattaya offers a wide variety of international dining in addition to as much fresh seafood as you can eat. The speedy superhighway from Bangkok has cut down travel time to less than two hours and just an hour from Suvarnabhumi International Airport.

Pattaya's gay scene is still mostly commercial, but there are also relaxed gay businesses where visitors can make friends. Everyone heads to Jomtien Beach in the afternoon to lie under umbrellas and people-watch. The three main gay nightlife areas are Sunee Plaza, Boyz Town, or Jomtien (just a block from the beach in a shophouse complex similar to Phuket's Paradise Complex).

Pattaya's population is over 250,000 and growing (that's about 10,000 Utopians, not counting the tourists). Pattaya is also a glimmering attraction for gays from neighboring Cambodia.

61/17 M. 10, Soi Khao Talo, Nongpure, Banglamung, Chonburi, 038-433-239, email. With a relaxed atmosphere, serious trainers and beginners alike will find an extremely beneficial environment to get the very best results from each and every training session. Welcoming residents and visitors to Pattaya, the Castra staff will ensure that you will achieve the best workout for your needs. Train along to music ranging from hard rock to the latest dance music. Low prices and great facilities. Gay and lesbian-friendly. Utopia Member Discount

A dozen gay-patronized sections of beach umbrellas. From the Police box and the point where the main road from Pattaya town hits the beach, make a right and follow the brand new brick bike path or walkway about 200 meters in -- especially the area in front of Tui's Place. Lot's of tourists and Thai gays. The section farther down in front of Rabbit Resort is more spread out and attracts local expats and couples. Strolling vendors sell everything and anything under the sun. If you're lucky, you might meet the artist, Tiwa, who sells cards of his erotic watercolors.

Royal Garden Plaza

Especially Au Bon Pain coffee shop on the ground floor, looking onto the indoor fountain (not only do they have delicious baked goods and sandwiches, but it is a great place to sit and cruise the crowd). Lots of gays wandering about.

306/63 Thapaya Rd, 038-364-600, email. Brand new location on Thapaya Rd (on the left as you drive towards Jomtien Beach, just before Jomtiem Complex). Refined European cuisine in an elegant setting. Excellent wine list and service. For many expats this is the consistently best restaurant in town. Bruno was the recipient of a 2002 Utopia Award for his quiet philanthropic work.

143/50 Jomtien Complex, Jomtien, 086-008-9469, email. A classic Thai-style restaurant set in a teakwood framed patio surrounded by one million baht's worth of wood sculptures, wall hangings and exotic floral arrangements. Waiters dress in traditional boran (ancient) costume. The healthy, home-style cooking from around the world, including Thailand, is served in large portions. They feature California wines, which is where the owner is from. An exotic traditional Thai dance show happens every hour or so, performed by very handsome staff! Four minutes from the Rabbit Resort and Dongtan Beach. Reservations are encouraged. Utopia Member Discount

Jua Lee

159/113 Mu 5, North Pattaya Rd, 038-429-748, 038-423-748. This large and unpretentious restaurant offers excellent seafood dishes at a reasonable price. The owner hustles you to your table and shouts out your order to his barefoot staff that is in constant motion. Drinks arrive instantly and food is on your table within minutes. Don't miss a plate of steamed crab claws, shelled and ready to pop into succulent sauces; garlic and pepper fried shrimp, crunchy and edible from head to tail, and truly jumbo-sized; or their superb version of "khai jeow hawy" with perfectly cooked, plump and tender oysters nested in drizzled fried egg. Even their steamed chicken, served over flame with rich, brown broth, is well above and beyond ordinary. No wonder they won Thailand's coveted "Shell Chuen Chim" culinary award.

New Orleans Café (Cajun)

Pattayaland 2 (Boyz Town) on the connecting soi to Pattayaland Soi 3. Spicy Cajun cookin', excellent service and live music.

Pa Restaurant

On the highway heading south from Pattaya towards Rayong, opposite Krisda Golden Condotel Cliff & Park. This tiny, open air restaurant on the side of the road is just a blur in most rearview mirrors, but hit the brakes! Oh my god, they have some of the tastiest Thai food to be found ANYWHERE. Khun Wichit's place is a humble wonder, even with the collection of food reviews hung on the wall raving about this national treasure of the tongue. Worth the trouble it may take to find.

318/77-78 M. 12 T. Nongprue, Jomtien Beach, 038-251-432, 038-231-045, email. Gay owned and managed bar and restaurant right on the gay stretch of Jomtien beach. Popular late afternoon and early evening hang-out. Khun Tui is a friendly and helpful resource.